Written by: Joshua Williamson
Art by: Jesus Merino, Andy Owens, Carmine Di Giandomenico & Chris Sotomayor
Publisher: DC Comics
Just the idea of Flash and Kid Flash looking for Reverse Flash was interesting enough, but getting into trouble like this is what elevates the story. You have to love that nothing with Joshua Williamson is ever that straightforward. Not only are we continuing a great team-up, we are running into some unlikely team-ups that wouldn’t have happened under any other circumstance.
As serious as the mission to find Reverse Flash is, this part of Sins of The Father is entertaining. Wally’s quest for knowledge about his villainous father was going to throw them into some danger, but ending up in the Australian outback and into the debt of Captain Boomerang was the last of my expectations. I mean, you can get a laugh out of anything dealing with Captain Boomerang. Not for being ridiculous, but for being as sketchy as he is. His dialogue was every bit of the Digger which bugs Flash. As fun as this trouble they got into was, I’m glad that this didn’t take too much time as there are more important things to deal with.
Now, the truth that they find I do still have to say I saw coming. If you read Suicide Squad prior to Rebirth then you had some idea about Reverse Flash’s fate. It didn’t quite help that the description of this issue came off ominous in the way they said Boomerang was the last person to see Wally’s father, Reverse-Flash, alive. Regardless, the revelation of what happened to him was every bit as impactful as it was when it actually happened back when. For the sake of continuity I like that they stuck with what happened in detail because it justifies the changes some villains go through in Suicide Squad.
I was caught off guard a little bit that we would have an issue split between two different art styles. This is always risky in my opinion, because you never want to give readers a reason to feel like they are being taken out of the story. Regardless of this, Jesus Merino, Andy Owens and Carmine Di Giandomenico have a style that best captures what is going on throughout this story arc’s finale. Jesus Merino and Andy Owens together bring out the humorous atmosphere dealing with Boomerang. Merino in particular draws these characters with stronger expressions rather than normal. Then you have Carmine Di Giandomenico who is more accustomed to this book and captures everything that speaks to what’s serious about this mission for Wally and Barry. He is a bit more favorable when that static nature of their powers pops out in a way that engages your eyes with every action. I loved how as the single colorist for this issue, Chris Sotomayor showed skill in the way he matches both pencilers. He definitely works best with Giandomenic,o for the same reason about the way they envision the power of the speedforce flowing through speedsters.
Flash #19 was a mixed bag of emotions. This Sins of The Father finale was funny, it was heartbreaking, and it was exciting for all the things it has now set-up. Joshua Williamson and this creative team as a whole know how to tap into the potential this book holds on its own and as one tied to the big picture of Rebirth.
